Mer mfg



C. T. EVANS Aug. 16, 1927.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS Filed Sept. 21, 1923 11v VENTOR 8 0mm 3. fivm \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\N\\\\\\\\\\w R\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE T. EVANS, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAM- MER MFG. 00., 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF'WISCONSIN.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS.

Application filed September 21, 1923. Serial No. 663,974.

This invention relates to operating mecha:

nisms for electric controllers and while not limited thereto is particularly applicable to theatre dimmers.

The present invention has among its objects to provide an operating mechanism enabling simultaneous operation of a plurality of dimmers or other control devices at the same speed or at preselected relative speeds.

Another object is to provide an operating mechanism of the aforesaid character including a master operating lever and adjustable operative connections between said lever and the individual dimmers which provide for variation of the rate of movement of the dimmers with respect to the master lever.

Another object is to provide an operating element for theatre dimmers or other control devices, including means for varying the rate of movement of the latter-with respect to the former.

Another object is to provide an operating element of the aforesaid character consisting of standard parts which can be readily adjusted to suit different arrangements of the dimmer plate with respect thereto.

Another object is to provide an operating mechanism of the aforesaid character having improved indicating means associated therewith.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will, hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that the embodiment illustrated is susceptible of modification without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

-In the drawing:

1 Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a typical dimmer installation having associated therewith operating means embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail side elevational view of one of the operating elements shown in Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is a top plan view of said operating element.

Figs. 4 and 5 are front elevational views of certain of the parts shown in Fig.2, and,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, the same illustrates two rows of dimmer plates mounted one above the other, or, in other words, this figure illustrates what is commonly known as a 2-high dimmer installation. The dimmer plates illustrated are of a well known type comprising a rheostat 1 having a pivoted contact arm 2 mounted thereonwhich is arranged to sweep over a series of contacts 3 connected to a resistance carried by said plate. Arms 2 of the various dimmer plates each have a central pinion 4c fixed thereto meshing with the rack 5 and each of the racks is-connected to an operating lever 6. The operating levers 6'of the several dimmers are rotatably mounted upon a shaft 7 said shaft being supported by suitable bearings, one of the-same being illustrated at 8 in Fig.1. Shaft 7 has'amaster operating lever 9 fixed thereto, and, as hereinafter set torcceive shaft 7 and arms 11. and 11 projecting from said bearing portions, said arms being connected at their outer ends by a portion 12 and intermediate their ends by a portion 13. Bearing portionslWand 10 project outwardly beyondthe arms 11 and 11 and each of the same is rovided with a turned surface on the exterior thereof. A member 14 is mounted on the projecting portion of bearing 10*, said member being provided with a split hub portion to be clamped to said bearing portion by a screw 15. Member 14 is also provided with a guide projection 16, having spaced end walls 17 and 18' and a front wall 19 provided with a slot 20. A screw '21 is rotatably supported within openings in walls 17 and 18 and the lower end of said screw. projects beyond the wall 18 and has an adjusting knob 22 fixed thereto. A slide 23 is mounted on the screw 21, said slide having a bored opening therein for receiving said screw and being provided with a tapped hole for receiving a. screw 24. Screw 24 has a head 24 located in the slot 20 and the inner end thereof projects between the threads of screw 21. Thus upon rotation of screw 21 in opposite directions slide member 23 is moved in op osite direcin full and dotted lines.

of the slide 23 is limited by an adjustable stop 25 carried by end wall 17 of guide 16. Slide 23 is operatively connected to the rack 5 through the medium of a coupling member 26, said coupling member having a hooked portionat one end thereof which is pivotally connected to slide 23 by a pin27 and a socket portion 28 at its opposite end for receiving rack 5. Rack 5 is adjustable longitudinally within the socket 28 and is adapted to be held therein by set screws 29.

From the foregoing it will be observed that by rotating screw 21 the radial distance of pin 27 with respect to the axis of shaft 7 can be varied between the positions shown It will also be'observed 'that when the slide 27 is moved to bring the pivot pin 23 into the position shown in dotted lines movement of the o erating lever 6 between the positions indicated in full and dotted lines will effect substantially no longitudinal movement of the rack 5 whereby the contact element 2 of the dimmer will remain substantially stationary. However, when: the. slider is moved to the position shown in full lines, movement of the operating lever 6 between its full and dotted line positions will effect full movement of the contact element of the dimmer. Adjustment of slide 23 therefore varies the rate of movement of the'contact element of the dimmer with respect to the lever 6, and also varies the range of operation of the contact element upon full movement of said lever.

Thus when a plurality of levers 6 are operated by the master lever 9 the associated dimmers can be operated simultaneously at the same speed or at predetermined relative speeds.

The slide 23 is provided with a projection 30 extending outwardly through slot 20, and the front wall 19 has a scale 31 fixed thereto, said scale being provided with markings .adjacent the projection 30 to indicate the position of slide 23. In other words, scale 31 indicates the degree of operation to rheostat is limited upon full movement of the operating lever 6. Also, means is provided for indicating the position, of operating lever 6, such means comprisinga fixed scale 32 and a co-operating projecting pointer 32 on lever 6.

. As shown in Fig. 5, scale 32 is marked to correspond with the markings on scale 31 and the divisions on the former scale are so spaced that when slide 23 is in its 0 position movement of lever 6 to .a given intermediate position on scale 32 causes the dimmer to be operated .through a range which is substantially the same as the range to which the dimmer is limited when slide 23 is set in a corresponding intermediate position on scale 31. For example, if slide 23 is in its 0- position and lever 6 is moved to position 6 on scale 32 the dimmer is operated which the through a'range which is substantially the same as the range of movement of the dimmer when said lever is moved through its entire range with slide 23 set in position 6 on scale 31. Scale 32 is fixed to a member 33 secured to a square shaft 34 by a cap member 35 and said shaft can be supported in any suitable manner, as for example, by llorackets 36, one of which is illustrated in Itis usually desired to releasably lock the operating levers 6 to shaft 7 to provide for selective operation of the rheostats b the master lever 9. 'As best shown in Fig. 3, each of the levers 6 is provided with a bolt 37 slidably mounted in the portions 12 and 13 thereof. Bolt 37 is biased inwardly by a spring 38 held under compression between the portion 12 of lever 6 and a collar 39 fixed to said bolt. The outer end of the bolt 37 is provided with an operating handle 40 and the inner end thereof is adapted to engage a collar 41 fixed .to shaft 7 by set screws 42. Collar 41 is-provided with'a recess 43 in the periphery thereof for receiving the inner end of bolt 37 to lock lever 6 in a given angular position with respect to shaft 7. Bolt 37 is slidable against the action of spring 38 to release the same from collar 41 and the same is adapted to be held in its released position by a pin 44 fixed thereto and arranged to engage a projection 45 on the end of lev'er6.

Member 14 is provided with a counterweight portion 46 arranged opposite the guide 16 thereof. Alsolever 6 is counterweighted by a. member 47, mounted on the hub portion 10. Member 47 is provided with a split hub portion to be secured to the turned surface on the exterior of hub portion 10 by a clamping screw 48 and said member is also provided with projecting lugs 49 and 50, the former being adapted to engage supporting member 34 to limit counter-clockwise movement of the lever 6 and the latter being adapted to engage said supporting member to limit movement of said lever inan opposite direction.

In connection with the foregoing it should be noted that the angular position of the member 14 with respect to lever 6 can be adjusted to suit the angular osition of the associated dimmer plate wit respect to shaft 7, and it should also be noted that the member 47 can be adjusted to suit the required angular movement of lever 6.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a plurality of rheostats, of a master operating member therefor and adjustable operative connections between said rheostats and said member providing for simultaneous'operation of the former by the latter at the same speed or at preselected relative speeds,

ill)

2. The combination with a plurality of control devices each including a movable control element of a master operating member therefor and operative connections between said elements and said member in cluding means adapted to be set to vary the rate of movement of said elements individually with respect to said member.

3. The combination with a plurality of control devices, each including a movable control element, of a master operating mem her for said elements movable through a given range and means for varying the rate of movement of the control elements of said devices individually with respect to said member to provide for varying ranges of movement of said elements upon full movement of said member..

4. The combination with a plurality of rheostats, each including a movable control element of a master operating member for said elements movable through a given range, means for varying the rate of movement of said elements individually with respect to said operating member to curtail the range of operation of said elements upon full movement of said operating member and means associated with said former means for indicating the range to which the individual control elements are limited.

5. The combination with a rheostat having a movable control element, of an operating member for said element movable through a given range, an operative connection between said member and the control element of said rheostat, said connection be ,ing adjustable with respect to said member and being adapted in a given position to'effeet full movement of said element upon full movement of said operating member and in other positions to curtail the range of movement of said element upon full movement of said member, means associated with said Y member for indicating the position of said rheostat when said connection is in said first mentioned position and means associated with said connection for indicating the range to which said control element is limited.

6. The combination with a rheostat of an operating member therefor movable through a given range. an operating connection be tween said rheostat and said member, said connection being adjustable with respect to said member and being adapted in a given position to effect full movement of said rheostat upon full movement of said mem her and in other positions to curtail to varying degrees the range of operation of said rheostat upon full movement of said member, a scale associated with said connection to indicate the range to which said rheostat is curtailed upon full movement of said operating member and a scale associated with said operating member to indicate the position of said rheostat when said connection is in the aforesaid given position, said scales being provided with corresponding markings arranged whereby movement of said member to any given position on its associated scale with said connection in the aforesaid given position effects operation of the rheostat to a degree corresponding substantially to the degree of movement of the rheostat which is effected upon full movement of said member with said connection set in a corresponding position on its associated scale.

7. The combination with a plurality of rheostats, each including a movable control element of a master operating shaft for said elements rotatable through a given range.

an operating member for each of said elcments rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for releasably locking each of said members to said shaft in a given angular position with respect thereto and operative connections between each of said members and the control element associated therewith including parts to be adjusted to vary the rate of movement of the former with respect to the latter.

8. The combination with a rheostat, of a pivoted operating arm therefor, a member mounted on said arm and adjustable to different angular positions with respect there- 'to and an operating connection between said rheostat and said member, said connection being adjustable with respect to said member to vary the rate of movement of said rheostat with respect to said arm.

9. The combination with a rheostat having a movable control element of a pivoted operating arm therefor, a member mounted on said arm, an operative connection between the control element of said rheostat and said member, said connection being adjustable with respect to said member to vary the rate of movement of said control element with respect to said arm, and said member being adjustable with respect to said arm to suit the angular position of saidrheostat with respect "to said arm.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CLARENCE T. EVANS. 

